re-Wired

I was diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome in 2003. Since the I've been trying to work out exactly what that means for me. This blog will be the repository for anything useful or interesting that I discover in the course of my research. It is also very much a work in progress. I will also try to link to any interesting new developments or articles that come to my attention.

Tuesday, 4 June 2013

Sunday, 10 January 2010

Studying a rare disorder known as tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), researchers at Children's Hospital Boston add to a growing body of evidence suggesting that autism spectrum disorders, which affect 25 to 50 percent of TSC patients, result from a miswiring of connections in the developing brain, leading to improper information flow. The finding may also help explain why many people with TSC have seizures and intellectual disabilities. Findings were published online in Nature Neuroscience on January 10.

Now 43, Chris was diagnosed with Asperger's only 18 months ago. For years he struggled with depression and anxiety as he tried to conceal his autistic traits behind a façade of learnt, socially-acceptable behaviour. "I hid my unusualness, those feelings of being bad, mad, crazy, deranged," he said. "I had to adapt to what other people thought was normal, to survive."

'Adults with Autism' will be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on Tuesday 29 September at 2100 hours, repeated on Wednesday 30 September at 1630 hours.

Thursday, 2 April 2009

Writing in Psychoneuroendocrinology, researchers noted children with the autistic condition do not experience the normal morning "surge" of cortisol.

This may explain their need for routine and aversion to change, they suggested.

"Cortisol is one of a family of stress hormones that acts like a 'red alert' that is triggered by stressful situations allowing a person to react quickly to changes around them," said Mark Brosnan, a psychologist at BathUniversity.

"In most people, there is a two-fold increase in levels of this hormone within 30 minutes of waking up, with levels gradually declining during the day as part of the internal body clock."Our study found that the children with AS [Asperger's Syndrome] didn't have this peak, although levels of the hormone still decreased during the day as normal.

Wednesday, 21 January 2009

Professor David Skuse...said the results did not downplay the genuine impact of more severe autism.

"What this does suggest is that drawing a dividing line between those with autism and the rest of the population involves taking an arbitrary decision."

"Clinicians and those involved in education need to aware that there are children who do not have autism but who nevertheless have somewhat elevated levels of autistic traits - our research suggests that these children are at slightly greater risk of developing behavioural and emotional problems."

Tuesday, 16 September 2008

"We shouldn't assume autism or Asperger syndrome will look the same in both sexes.

"There may be many factors leading to these conditions either being underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed in females, or leading females to require a diagnosis less often."

Judith Gould, of the National Autistic Society, said: "We hear from many women who have been diagnosed later in life.

"The way autism is presented in women can be very complex and so can be missed.

"It might be that due to misconceptions and stereotypes, many girls and women with autism are never referred for diagnosis, and so are missing from statistics.

"This may mean that many women who are undiagnosed are not receiving support, which can have a profound effect on them and their families.""Characteristics such as shyness and oversensitivity, common to people affected by autism, are sometimes deemed to be typically female traits.

About Me

Eco Warrior turned environmental advisor,Atheist, cycling fanatic, and fan of alternative music, comedy, politics, history and lifestyles.
I am writing a set of blogs that reflect my various interests, including cycling, music, London, politics, & more.
I also Tweet - as LaughingNoam.